SOUTHFIELD, Mich. -- The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) has launched a program to educate manufacturers in quality improvement tools and methodologies for the manufacture of medical devices.
Earlier this year, the state of Michigan publicized a program to help manufacturers -- especially auto suppliers -- diversify into new emerging manufacturing market sectors. To aid its members in making this type of transition, AIAG has developed a medical device manufacturing curriculum. This curriculum introduces manufacturers to ISO 13485:2003, the standard requirements for a quality management system where an organization needs to demonstrate its ability to provide medical devices and related services.
“Auto suppliers are ideally positioned to capitalize on a transition into a high growth manufacturing area such as medical devices because they have manufacturing and quality improvement know-how” said J. Scot Sharland, executive director for AIAG. “Diversifying and taking tested and proven quality tools and methodologies into a vertical industry will help these organizations strengthen their company balance sheet and keep people working.”
